Substances pose substantial health risks.
The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, known as 3M, recently reached a $10.3 billion settlement with a collective of U.S. public water systems over claims that their products polluted American water with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
Ingesting PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” due to the vast amount of time they can remain in soil and water without deteriorating, can cause a number of health issues in the human body, including many forms of cancer. 3M has not admitted guilt for the amount of PFAS the manufacture of their products has allegedly leached into public water systems, but has agreed to fund the clean-up of these chemicals around the country for the next 13 years.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan said, during PFAS testing last fall, “Communities have suffered far too long from exposure to these chemicals. This settlement is a critical step forward in our work to protect communities from pollution and hold polluters accountable for their actions.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Administrator Michael Regan as he heads the Environmental Protection Agency.
- For EPA officials as they seek to protect the American public from pollution or harmful chemical exposure.
- For 3M officers as they fund the extensive clean-up effort as part of the settlement with public water systems.
Sources: Reuters, PBS, Environmental Protection Agency
